A long-running proposal to build 79 single-family homes on a hillside west of Santa Paula has been voted down by the city council.

Developers have been working with city officials for years to try to get the project known as the Anderson/Hagaman Project approved, and nearly a year ago, the city's Planning Commission OK'd it. But at its regular meeting Monday night, Santa Paula City Council voted 4 to 1 against the proposal. Councilman Jim Tovias cast the lone vote in favor of the development.

Council members denied the project 'without prejudice,' meaning that the developers can return to the city with a different proposal for the site within less than a year. The parcel is north of Foothill Road and west of Peck Road.

Monday's denial followed more than an hour of debate and public comments, during which about a dozen residents spoke out in opposition to the project. Many complained that the development as proposed was too dense, crowding homes together on the 32.5-acre parcel. Some speakers, almost all of whom live near the site, said the developer should build fewer and bigger 'executive-style' homes instead.

'I just think, frankly, the city is missing the opportunity to have 20 or 25 larger lots over there with higher-end properties,' said speaker Richard Main, who said such homes are lacking in Santa Paula. 'It would frankly be a much better credit to the city.'

Other speakers repeated concerns brought up during past hearings, mainly that construction of the development would cause pollution and traffic problems for nearby residents. In order to build on the hillside, the project would require removing 750,000 cubic yards of dirt and depositing it elsewhere in Adams Canyon.

Some residents also questioned whether removing so much dirt and building homes on the hillside — the site of an ancient landslide — would be safe. Later during the discussion, Planning Director Janna Minsk acknowledged that under the city's normal rules, the proposed density of homes was too high for a hillside development. However, this particular project is governed by a separate specific plan, she said.

'Normally the number of units would probably have to be reduced,' Minsk said.

The project parcel is currently not within city limits and would have to be annexed into Santa Paula.

Development consultant Michael Pisker said the project construction would actually stabilize the hillside. He added that the proposal would also create oversized basins to capture storm water and alleviate flooding concerns in the area, and an extra traffic study would be included to pinpoint any additional measures the developer could take to ease traffic problems.

'We're just going above and beyond because that's what we think is the right thing to do right now,' Pisker said.

Fred Robinson, head of the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce, said his organization supports the development because the community needs more jobs and housing.

In voting to approve the project, Tovias called the proposal a 'good project' and pointed out that voters approved developing the parcel in a 2003 ballot initiative.

'It's going to enhance the entire area,' Tovias said. 'I just think this thing has been kicked around long enough. I think it's time to move forward with the project.'

But Councilman John Procter and Mayor Martin Hernandez said they didn't think the developers were being flexible and responsive enough to issues raised about the project. They and Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite also agreed with concerns about density.

Hernandez said he would welcome an alternative proposal for the site.

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